The FIFA World Cup spherical of 16 on Sunday has two heavyweight ties as Brazil face Norway in New Jersey earlier than cohosts Mexico tackle England in Mexico Metropolis.
Right here’s the total schedule, Opta’s predictions and the newest information from the event, together with Morocco’s march into the quarterfinals and France’s fiery win over Paraguay.
What’s Sunday’s schedule?
- Brazil vs Norway: 4pm (20:00 GMT) at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States
- Mexico vs England: 6pm (00:00 GMT into Monday) at Mexico Metropolis Stadium
What are the predictions for Brazil vs Norway?
Brazil shall be hoping to finish an undesirable development after they face Norway within the spherical of 16.
The groups have met 4 occasions beforehand in all competitions, and Norway have but to lose the fixture. The Scandinavians have received twice and drawn twice, together with a memorable 2-1 victory over Brazil on the 1998 World Cup.
Regardless of these historic tendencies, the Opta supercomputer calculates Brazil because the clear favourites. After working 25,000 pre-match simulations, Brazil received in regulation time in 53.6 p.c of the outcomes.
Norway claimed victory inside 90 minutes in 22.4 p.c of the simulations whereas 24 p.c ended stage after regular time, sending the tie to additional time and probably penalties.
What are the predictions for Mexico vs England?
England and Mexico have crossed paths solely as soon as earlier than on the World Cup, and that assembly dates again practically 60 years.
The encounter got here through the group stage of the 1966 event when event hosts England secured a 2-0 victory, due to objectives from Bobby Charlton and Roger Hunt. The Three Lions went on to raise the trophy that summer time, claiming the one World Cup title of their historical past.
England have additionally loved the higher hand within the fixture outdoors the World Cup, successful every of their final 4 conferences with Mexico. These victories all got here in worldwide friendlies performed from 1986 to 2010.
Opta’s supercomputer predicted one of many closest contests of the spherical of 16 with neither aspect holding a decisive benefit.
England enter the tie with a beneficial historic file in opposition to Mexico, however El Tri’s dwelling assist and familiarity with the circumstances assist slim the hole.
Throughout 25,000 simulations, England received in regular time 40.6 p.c of the time, whereas Mexico did so in 31.5 p.c. An additional 27.9 p.c of simulations ended stage after 90 minutes, that means the match would require additional time and probably a penalty shootout.
Remaining spherical of 16 schedule:
- Brazil vs Norway: Sunday, New York New Jersey Stadium, 20:00 GMT
- Mexico vs England: Sunday, Mexico Metropolis Stadium, 00:00 GMT going into Monday
- Portugal vs Spain: Monday, Dallas Stadium, 19:00 GMT
- USA vs Belgium: Monday, Seattle Stadium, 00:00 GMT going into Tuesday
- Argentina vs Egypt: Tuesday, Atlanta Stadium, 16:00 GMT
- Switzerland vs Colombia: Tuesday, BC Place Vancouver, 20:00 GMT
What else is going on?
Morocco’s historic quarterfinal run
Morocco reached the World Cup quarterfinals for a second consecutive event after defeating cohosts Canada 3-0 on Saturday with Azzedine Ounahi scoring twice to finish the North People’ historic run.
The ultimate rating didn’t replicate the stability of the sport. Canada managed a lot of the primary half, creating a number of promising possibilities whereas retaining Morocco from registering their first shot till the twenty eighth minute.
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi was visibly annoyed on the touchline earlier than the break as misplaced passes and sloppy errors disrupted his aspect’s rhythm, however the workforce responded with a much-improved show after half-time.
“It’s a World Cup match, and these are troublesome video games with groups enjoying for his or her lives,” Ouahbi stated. “We reacted very effectively within the second half, particularly within the duels and in successful the second balls.
Was Paraguay’s play ‘soiled’?
France captain Kylian Mbappe insisted his aspect had been ready to match Paraguay’s bodily method after securing a hard-fought 1-0 victory on Saturday to achieve the World Cup quarterfinals.
Mbappe, who transformed the decisive penalty within the seventieth minute after Want Doue was fouled within the space, dismissed the suggestion that France had been unsettled by Paraguay’s aggressive techniques.
“They thought we’d come out in tuxedos, making an attempt fancy tips and one-twos,” Mbappe stated. “However we all know the right way to play soiled soccer too. If that’s what the sport requires, now we have no downside doing it.”
The successful penalty was awarded solely after a VAR evaluate with France coach Didier Deschamps questioning referee Ilgiz Tantashev’s dealing with of the more and more bodily contest.
“We obtained three yellow playing cards whereas they saved fouling us all through the sport,” Deschamps stated. “Each workforce is entitled to play in its personal method, however I may have carried out with out among the insults from the opposition.”
Mexico’s fortress awaits England
Mexico will look to finish a 40-year wait to advance to the World Cup quarterfinals after they face England on Sunday, backed by certainly one of worldwide soccer’s strongest dwelling data.
The cohosts have misplaced solely two official matches at Mexico Metropolis Stadium because it opened in 1966 with the final defeat coming in opposition to Honduras in a World Cup qualifier in 2013.
Former Mexico striker Hugo Sanchez believes the stadium may as soon as once more make the distinction.
“The stadium is a monster; that explains the excessive variety of wins and attracts and the few losses, which had been simply accidents. We method this with optimism as a result of we all know it’s England, but when we play the way in which we did in opposition to Ecuador, we are able to beat them.”
Mexico’s World Cup file on the stadium displays that dominance. Throughout the 1970, 1986 and 2026 tournaments, El Tri have performed 10 World Cup matches there, successful eight and drawing two. On this 12 months’s event, they’ve overwhelmed South Africa, Czechia and Ecuador in Mexico Metropolis with out conceding a aim whereas additionally defeating South Korea in Guadalajara.
